Art of the Sweataway - Part I

Looking for something to spice up your love life?  Well, here it is, folks...

The Quarterly Sweataway!

About once a quarter, my husband and I take a few days to focus on spending time together and reconnecting.  Since we are health and fitness freaks, we make things extra awesome by filling our time with amazing food and heart-pumping workouts.

Here's some ideas from our spring sweataway (I would post about the winter sweataway since it came first, but we took photos for that on a "real" camera and thus 5+ months later haven't gotten them developed):

1. Start off your first evening by whipping up a healthy/fun dinner together.  (Delicious food gives you energy for the weekend...but if it's too involved you may find yourselves frustrated at the mountain of dishes left after dinner.  Not romantic or relaxing.)

We got dragonfruit at the store...
it reminded us of our honeymoon in Maui!

Making shrimp fajitas

Dragon fruit tastes kind of like a pear mixed with a kiwi. 
The black seeds are totally edible, too.

Get the recipe for our amazing salsa.

2. The following morning, try a workout class together.  (This means no one will be having to make a decision about what to do first thing in the morning.  We are horrible at decision making...like the vultures in Jungle Book.)

I brought Jared along to barre3.  Check out our joint review of this pilates/ballet/yoga inspired workout.

Us, pre-class

3. Have a tasty brunch.  Start healthy and add in a big splurge.  We like spinach omlettes and turkey or chicken sausage...

...and maple cinnamon rolls.  (Please note that there are only two in the photo below because the others had already been consumed.)

Jared working out some  more while I make eggs...

See how we added in the leftover salsa?

4. Now that you've worked out and refueled, head on a mini road-trip to do some fitness-related shopping.  We like to bring great snacks from World Market, and something fun to listen to in the car.

Peanut butter pretzels!

LOVE Brian Jacques

Nike and lululemon...what more could we want?

On sale for TWELVE DOLLARS.

Happy shoppers!

5. Then you come home and go for a 7 mile run in your new gear.

Shirt: lululemon, shorts: Nike

Running top: Nike, dri-fit pants: Nike

7. Finish up your day with dinner out.  (It helps if you have a gift card to somewhere amazing, like Daniel's Broiler.

I decided not to go blogger-crazy and photograph our entire meal, but dessert was too amazing to let pass.  Fresh strawberries in chocolate and grand marnier. 

 

Wearing my new lulu jacket!

More sweataway details forthcoming...HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Have you seen my pants?

Ever have those days when you all of a sudden realize you've left behind something very important?

Well that was me on this day:

I had (in my very humble opinion) a super cute outfit planned out...one of my favorite scarves with a shirt I stole from my hubby, shoes to match the scarf and of course, jeans.

I went and worked out that morning and got all showered only to discover...I had left my jeans at home. 

Outfit Mayday.

So I decided, rather than driving home to get the darn things...I'd just wear my workout pants instead.  Gross, but resourceful.  10 points to Gryffindor!

Shirt: AE (hubby's), scarf: H&M Italy,
belt: off O-Mi-O dress (Italy),
classy workout pants: Express,
shoes: Old Navy

Thanks to Lica of From L to C for taking the outfit photos for me.  I owe you...something.  Just not jeans because I clearly seem to be in need of them.

Sunburn and Wrinkles and Cancer...Oh, My!

So...a history of melanoma runs in my family.  It practially gallops.  This means while I love being out in the sunshine (and love looking tan), I can't really afford to get my vitamin D through rays unless I want surgery or worse in my future.  Thus in recent years, I've switched from natural tanning freak to SPF police-woman.  (Scary, I know.) 

With summer (at least theoretically for us PNWers) upon us, I am psyched to be setting up my SPF soapbox.  Here's a few products I highly recommend:

I tend to hate sunscreen (most have a yucky smell and slimy feel that scarred me as a child...I've never quite recovered), so I always make sure my moisturizer contains SPF.  I like this one by Neutrogena. 

And this year, I was delighted to find a sunscreen that I actually look forward to wearing!  Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect has a golden sheen/sparkle to it, and smells AMAZING.  You can use this in place of your regular body lotion. 

(Bring it along when you go out...the trick to great suncare is not the level of SPF so much as the frequency at which it's reapplied throughout your time in the sun.  Apply every few hours...more if you are sweating or swimming.)

I like the Physician's Formula bronzer with SPF because it looks much more natural than most bronzers. 



 No SPF in the CoverGirl mascara, but it is my favorite...plus I find this picture hugely entertaining.

More fave products in the weeks to come.  Happy cancer-free summer!

Rain-Dance Rain Boots

I have a pair of adorable rain boots a friend gave me for my birthday years ago. 

They have a secret talent.

They are magic.

Here's how the magic works:  The forecast says rain.  I pout.  I comfort myself by remember I have cute rain boots to wear.  I wear the rain boots to work.  The sun comes out and it doesn't rain all day.

Tada!

Blazer: Target; cami: Express;
skirt: Express; magic rain boots: Target

Breakfast - Best Meal of the Day

I am anti-diet, and I'm especially anti- any form of living that encourages skipping or skimping on breakfast. 

Ideally, breakfast should be eaten within 30 minutes of waking, and it should include some serious protein. 

If you skip breakfast, your body begins to think in starvation mode, meaning that it will store food coming in later on in the day as fat, since it expects it will be starving again soon and will need fat to survive.

If you eat breakfast but it's, say, just fruit, you are setting yourself up for failure.  Your body burns carbs (fruit) much faster than protein.  If you don't get enough protein at breakfast, you will be ravenous later on in the day and will be tempted to overeat at lunch and dinner, and grab any snack lying in your path (including doughnuts or cheetos).

So, here's to breakfast - your body's favorite meal:

• 4 eggs scrambled with canola oil, a few pieces of ham, and black pepper
• 2 pieces of 100% whole wheat toast (keep in mind that "multi-grain" and "100% whole grain" are not interchangeable...)
• Pure maple cream from Vermont (if you are splurging, make it something seriously good...diet-y substitutes are an utter waste of calories)
• Glass of V-8 fusion (100% veggie/fruit juice
• Cute tray (Crate & Barrel)

(Serves 2)

May Madness

Food is a huge part of my life...shocking, right?

Jared made these ricotta crepe-things
with lingon-berry sauce.  Wow.



Eating dinner on our patio for the first time!!!




Pasta and kale...healthy and tasty!

Theatre kinda creeps in a lot, too.



He brought me flowers!  (And doughnut holds for the kids)

Taryn from Have Kitchen, Will Feed

Bowing...it took like 20 minutes to organize this...lol.

Jared got me organic flowers.  Love it!

Jared flowers

Flowers from "my kids"



Smarty-Pants Leftovers

Do you hate wasting food?  Are you the type who doesn't want to save leftovers because they are boring...so then you clean your plate even when you know you're full?  Well, here's the solution for you:

(I wish I could say, "...get Ruth Sherwood's new bestseller: 100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man," but that is beyond the scope of this blog.)

We almost always wind up with leftovers since there are only two of us...and generally recipes serve 4-6 at minimum.  Here's something fun you can do with lots of different dishes...make the leftovers into a savory breakfast!

Yummy burgers become yummy omlettes!

Happy Eating...today is my Friday, but I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday (and beg you not to hate me)!